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A review into the College of Further Education's Apprenticeship scheme has identified five key areas that employers and the College both said need to be focused on and developed.
Over the last two years, the College has been working on the review with key stakeholders in the States registered scheme, such as employers and users.
The aim is "to ensure the needs and demands of all local industries are met, and they are supported by providing a fit for purpose and skilled workforce."
Louise Misselke, Principal of the College of FE, said: "as a result of the extensive consultation process with employers, we believe that the Guernsey Apprenticeship will continue to equip and support local industries with a skilled and professional workforce.
"We are committed to working in partnership with employers to monitor and review the new apprenticeship scheme. If you would like to be involved in these developments, please get in touch with the apprenticeship team.”
The key findings of the review are:
The review found not all employers needed the grant, but for some to continue to be able to support an apprentice, a grant still needs to be available.
That grant has been simplified to a standardised amount of £1,500 per year for the first two years of an apprenticeship. A simpler grant application system, which be available to all, will be introduced next year.
All employers who already have an apprentice (including those that enrolled in September 2018) will stay on the old grant aid model until they've qualified.
The College has also already put measures in place to ensure the level two qualifications are met, certain programmes are consolidated, and a joint review process for applications is being developed.
Pictured: Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of Education, Sport & Culture.
"Within any service area, it is important that the needs of the customer are kept at the forefront of the provider’s mind and that there is the ability to change theprovision available dependent on this," Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of Education, said.
"It is clear that throughout the two year review, the College of Further Education has met with and listened to the views of their stakeholders and re-developed the apprenticeship scheme so that the needs of our local industries and community can be met.”
One of the new apprenticeships available from September 2019 will be retail. Donna Abel, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, said it's a big thing for the industry.
“This is a very exciting time and a first for the Retail Industry in Guernsey. It is a great step in the right direction and provides a fantastic opportunity for retailers to build a stronger external pipeline of talent as well as providing professional retail qualifications to our existing workforce.”
Pictured: Louise Misselke.
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